ALL INDIA RADIO

ALL INDIA RADIO

Objective

To provide information, education and wholesome entertainment, keeping in view the motto, "Bahujan Hitaya; Bahujan Sukhaya" i.e. the benefit and happiness of large sections of the people, and strive to :

• Uphold the unity of the country and the democrative values enshrined in the Constitution;
• Present a fair and balanced flow of information of national, regional, local and international interest, including contrasting views, without advocating any opinion or ideology of its own.
• Promote the interests and concerns of the entire nation, being mindful of the need for harmony and understanding within the country and ensuring that the programmes reflect the varied elements which make up the composite culture of India.
• Produce and transit varied programmes designed to awaken, inform, enlighten, educate, entertain and enrich all sections of the people, with due regard to the fact that the national broadcast audience consists of a whole series of public.
• Produce and transmit programmes relating to developmental activities in all their facets including, extension work in Agriculture, Education, Health and Family Welfare , Science and Technology.
• Serve the rural, illiterate and underprivileged population, keeping in mind the special needs and interests of the young, social and cultural minorities, the tribal population, and of those residing in border regions, backward or remote areas.
• Promote social justice and combat exploitation, inequality, and such evils as untouchability and parochial loyalties.
• Promote national integration.

Growth & Development

The first radio programme in India was broadcast by the Radio Club of Mumbai in June 1923. It was followed by the setting up of a Broadcasting Service that began broadcasting in India in July 1927 on an experimental basis at Mumbai and Kolkata simultaneously under an agreement between Government of India and a private company called the Indian Broadcasting Company Ltd.

When India became independent, the AIR network had only six Stations located at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow and Tiruchirapalli with a total complement of 18 transmitters - six on the medium wave and the remaining on short wave. Radio listening on medium wave was confined to urban limits of these cities. As against a mere 2,75,000 receiving sets at the time of Independence, now there are about 132 million estimated radio sets in the country.

IMPORTANT MILESTONES SINCE INDEPENDENCE (AIR)
August 15,1947	There were Six Radio stations at Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras,Tiruchirapalli and Lucknow.
July 20, 1952	First National Programme of Music broadcast from AIR
July 29. 1953	National Programme of Talks (English) commenced from AIR.
1954	First Radio Sangeet Sammelan held.
October 3, 1957	Vividh Bharati Services started.
November 1, 1959	First TV station in Delhi started (at that time, it was part of AIR).
July 21, 1969	Yuvavani services started at Delhi.
August 15, 1969	1000 KW Superpower Medium Wave Transmitter commisioned at Calcutta(Mogra).
January 8, 1971	1000 KW Superpower Medium Wave Transmitter commissioned at Rajkot
1974	Akashvani Annual Awards instituted.
July 23, 1977	First ever FM service was started from Madras.
September 14, 1984	Two High Power250 KW shortwave transmitters inaugurated at Aligarh.
October 30, 1984	First Local Radio Station at Nagarcoil started.
1985	All AIR stations were provided with 5 channel satellite receiver terminals.
May 18, 1988	Introduction of National Channel.
April 8, 1989	Commissioning of Integrated North East Service.
March 2, 1990	The 100th station of AIR commissioned at Warangal (Andhra Pradesh)
March 10, 1990	Two 500 KW Superpower shortwave transmitters commissioned at Bangalore.
October 2, 1992	Commissioning of FM Chanel at Jalandhar.
April 1, 1993	The 150 th station of AIR commissioned at Berhampur (Orissa).
August 15, 1993	Introduction of Times slots on FM Channel to private Parties at Delhi-Bombay.
September 1, 1993	Time slots on FM Chanel to private parties at Chennai.
January 24, 1994	FM Channel at Panaji.
July 25, 1994	Time slots on FM channel to private parties at Calcutta.
September 10, 1994	Multi-track recording studios commissioned at Mumbai.
September 28, 1994	Four 500 KW Superpower Shortwave transmitters at Bangalore inaugurated. This has made Bangalore one of the biggest transmitting centres in the world.
October 31, 1994	The 175th station of AIR commissioned at Nasik.
November 13, 1994	Time slots on FM channel to private parties at Panaji.
August 5, 1995	Multi-track recording studios commissioned at Chennai.
February 1, 1996	Foundation stone laid for New Broadcasting House at New Delhi.
May 2, 1996	Launching of AIR on-line Information Services on Internet.
January 13, 1997	Started Audio on demand on Internet Service.
April 1, 1997	Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) introduced at Delhi on experimental basis.
January 26, 1998	'Radio on Demand' service on 2nd FM Channel Transmission.
February 25, 1998	AIR 'News on Telephone' and AIR 'live on Internet'.
August 15, 1999	Radio station commissioned at Kokrajhar in Bodo Land Autonomous Council Area.
August 15, 1999	Second FM Channels commissioned at Delhi and Calcutta with Yuvavani service.
July 17, 2000	Regional Staff Training Institute (Tech.) started functioning at Bhubaneshwar (Orissa)
Sept 1, 2001	AIR launched Infotainment channel known as FM-II at four metros, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, in addition to the Metro Channel FM-I.
Nov 12, 2001	Museum of Radio and Doordarshan was inaugurated. Declared as The Public Service Broadcasting day to commemorate Gandhiji's visit to AIR
Feb 27, 2002	AIR launched its first ever digital statellite home service which will cater to Indian sub-continent and South-East Asia.
July, 2002	Celebrated 75 years of Broadcasting.
April, 2003	Marketing Division of Prasar Bharati Inaugurated.
Jan 26, 2004	Bhasha Bharati Channel of AIR launched at Delhi and Classical Music Channel launched at Bangalore.
Apr 01, 2004	Launch of Kisan Vani Programme from 12 Stations of AIR.
Dec 16, 2004	DTH Service of Prasar Bharati, with 12 AIR Channels, launched.